An International Space Station school contact has been planned with participants at Karel de Grote-Hogeschool, Department IWT, Hoboken, Belgium on 27 June. The event is scheduled to begin at approximately 09:33 UTC. The duration of the contact is approximately 9 minutes and 52 seconds. The contact will be a telebridge between NA1SS and W6SRJ. The contact should be audible over the west coast of the U.S. Interested parties are invited to listen in on the 145.80 MHz downlink. The contact is expected to be conducted in English (or Dutch).
The Karel de Grote-Hogeschool is a university college in Antwerp, Belgium. With a student population around 8000 students, it is among the largest educational institutes in Flanders. The department of Industrial Sciences and Technology has about 1100 students. Their programs allow students to seek professional Bachelor degrees in Chemistry, Biomedical Lab-technology, Automotive technology, Electromechanics, Photography, Multimedia and Communication technology. In addition, academic degrees are offered such as Bachelor's and Master's degrees in Chemistry, Biochemistry, Electronics-ICT and Electromechanics. The latter are known as "Applied Engineering" degrees.
The number of graduating engineers and technologists is decreasing year after year throughout all of Europe, while the need for such disciplines in industry are ever increasing. Karel de Grote-Hogeschool strives to fill their role in society by challenging young people to study engineering and technology.
Participants will ask as many of the following questions (translated) as time allows: 1. Do bacteria grow in space the same way they do on Earth? 2. Is the cabin disinfected before launch? 3. In space there is no atmosphere or ozone layer to protect you. Don't you suffer from radiation in space? 4. Do you experience a difference between day and night? 5. Does the space station use any fuel cells? 6. What is your daily schedule like? How much time do you spend on your work, pastime and sleeping? 7. How do you spend your pastime in the space station? Do you read any books? If so, which one are you reading at the moment? 8. If the regular supply chain to the space station would be stopped, how long would you be able to survive? 9. Living with so many people in a confined space probably will give rise to tensions in the team. What do you do pro-actively to avoid any rawls? 10. Do you have internet access in space? 11. How old is the space station? Does the wear and tear show themselves? 12. At what speed are you traveling right now? 13. Over The absence of gravitation reduces your muscle tissue. What do you do to prevent that? 14. Assuming I'm a mentally and physically healthy and intelligent young man or woman, what are my chances as a Belgian to become an astronaut? 15. How do you recycle urine? What happens to the waste and the sewage coming from of the toilet? 16. What type of fuel do you use in space? 17. How is the supply of oxygen controlled? 18. What do astronauts eat? 19. How about the hair growth of astronauts? Does your hair grow faster or slower in space? 20. Did you see any objects flying in space?
Information about the upcoming ARISS contacts can be found at http://www.ariss.org/upcoming.htm#NextContact . Next planned event(s): TBD
ARISS is an international educational outreach program partnering the participating space agencies, NASA, Russian Space Agency, ESA, CNES, JAXA, and CSA, with the AMSAT and IARU organizations from participating countries.
ARISS offers an opportunity for students to experience the excitement of Amateur Radio by talking directly with crewmembers on-board the International Space Station. Teachers, parents and communities see, first hand, how Amateur Radio and crewmembers on ISS can energize youngsters' interest in science, technology, and learning. Further information on the ARISS program is available on the website http://www.ariss.org/ (graciously hosted by the Radio Amateurs of Canada).
Thank you & 73, Kenneth - N5VHO